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Jon Stewart Gives Exiting 'Daily Show' Showrunner Heartfelt Sendoff

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Stewart recalled Rory Albanese joining the show as a production assistant in 1999: "He was a wiseass, and I really liked him."

The Daily Show said goodbye to one of it's own Thursday.

Jon Stewart gave Daily Show showrunner Rory Albanese a touching sendoff at the end of the episode, chronicling Albanese's rise from production assistant to executive producer -- and showing a few embarrassing clips along the way.

"I got to the show in 1999. He started probably two months after that. He was a wiseass, and I really liked him," Stewart said. "I noticed that whatever job we gave him, he kicked that job’s ass."

Stewart started the segment by showing an old Daily Show clip of a young Albanese going around New York with a toilet, pretending to use it on the street.

"This kid, who started at this show in 1999 as a PA sitting with his naked ass on a toilet in Times Square, has been our executive producer for the last five years. It's a tremendous story. He's gone from that ignominious beginning to this -- "

Stewart then showed a recent clip of Albanese playing Smokey the Bear, talking about how the government shutdown has forced him to perform sexual acts for money to make ends meet.

"I'm going to miss him! He's all grown up!" Stewart shouted after bringing Albanese out on stage to much applause from the audience.

Albanese may be leaving The Daily Show, but he isn't leaving comedy. He has a development deal with Warner Bros. TV, and will write and executive produce a multicamera comedy for CBS. The show will be set in a family-owned drug store run by a conservative father and a liberal son who butt heads. Albanese will move from New York to Los Angeles for his new pursuits, and will continue as a touring stand-up comedian.

Albanese earned nine primetime Emmys during his tenure at The Daily Show, all for the show's best variety series and best writing for a variety series wins.